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Freddie Highmore

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Freddie Highmore
Highmore in 2013
Born
Alfred Thomas Highmore

(1992-02-14) 14 February 1992 (age 32)[1]
London, England[1]
Alma materEmmanuel College, Cambridge
OccupationActor
Years active1999–present
Spouse
Klarissa Munz
​
(m. 2021)​
[2][3]
FatherEdward Highmore

Alfred Thomas Highmore[4] (born 14 February 1992)[1] is an English actor. He is known for his starring roles beginning as a child, in the films Finding Neverland (2004), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Arthur and the Invisibles (2006), August Rush (2007), The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008), and Astro Boy (2009). He won two consecutive Critics' Choice Movie Awards for Best Young Performer.

Highmore starred as Norman Bates in the drama-thriller series Bates Motel (2013–2017), for which he was nominated three times for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series and won a People's Choice Award, and Dr. Shaun Murphy in the ABC drama series The Good Doctor (2017–2024), for which he also served as a producer and was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor.[5]

Early life

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Highmore was born on 14 February 1992 in Camden Town, London.[1] His mother, Sue Latimer, is a talent agent whose clients include actors Daniel Radcliffe and Imelda Staunton. His father is the former actor Edward Highmore.

Highmore was educated at The Brookland Junior and Infant school in Hampstead Garden Suburb near Golders Green in the London Borough of Barnet until the age of 11 and gained a scholarship to attend Highgate School, an independent school in Highgate, London.

In November 2007, Highmore moved to North London.[6]

In 2008, Highmore received A* grades in English language and English literature, maths, Spanish, French, Latin, geography, biology, chemistry, and physics in his GCSE exams.[7] In 2010, Highmore once again achieved A* grades in maths, further maths, French, and Spanish in his A-level exams.[8]

From 2010 to 2014, Highmore attended Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he earned a double first in Spanish and Arabic.[9] He also enrolled at the London School of Economics to study finance at summer school during the summer break at Cambridge in 2011.[10] Highmore worked at Gulf Bank in Kuwait as an intern in 2012 and at a law firm in Madrid during his year abroad while filming the first two seasons of Bates Motel, which made him briefly consider becoming a lawyer after graduation.[11]

Career

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Early career as a child actor (1999–2004)

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Highmore began his acting career with small roles on television at the age of 7. He made his film debut in Coky Giedroyc's comedy Women Talking Dirty (1999), playing the son of a woman who has recently become estranged from her commitment-phobic French lover.[1] In 2001, Highmore played a young King Arthur in the TNT miniseries The Mists of Avalon, a take on the Arthurian legends that depicted the women of Camelot as the real power behind the throne.[1]

In 2001, in the BBC miniseries Happy Birthday Shakespeare, he portrayed a young boy who dreams of moving his family to Stratford-upon-Avon.[1] Highmore has acted alongside members of his family in two separate films: he and his brother played siblings in Women Talking Dirty, and he and his father played a father and son in Hallmark Entertainment's television film Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story (2001).[12]

In 2004, Highmore returned to the big screen for the family adventure film Two Brothers, directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud. He played the son of a French administrator who refuses to believe that his new friend, a tiger cub named Sangha, might be dangerous after having tasted blood. He next had a major role in the fantasy film Five Children and It (2004). That same year, Highmore made his breakthrough with a critically acclaimed performance as Peter Llewelyn Davies in Marc Forster's semi-biographical film Finding Neverland. He received several awards and nominations for the role, including a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer, and nominations for the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role.

Young adult roles (2005–2011)

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Highmore at San Diego Comic-Con in 2009

In 2005, he portrayed the main role of Charlie Bucket in Tim Burton's musical fantasy film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, adapted from the book of the same name by Roald Dahl.[13] He was reportedly recommended by co-star Johnny Depp, with whom Highmore had worked in Finding Neverland; Depp had been impressed by the young actor's performance and thus put his name forward for the role.[1] Highmore had not seen the original 1971 version of the film, and decided not to see it until he was done filming so his portrayal of Charlie would not be influenced. For his role, he again won the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer and was awarded the Satellite Award for Outstanding New Talent. Highmore also lent his voice to the film's accompanying video game of the same name.

He next appeared as a young Max Skinner in Ridley Scott's comedy-drama film A Good Year, which was released in the UK on 27 October 2006. Also in 2006, he began portraying protagonist Arthur Montgomery in the live-action/animated fantasy adventure film Arthur and the Invisibles, released on 13 December 2006. Two sequels followed: Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard (2009) and Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds (2010).[14] For the third film and the trilogy's accompanying video game, Highmore provided voice acting.[15] In 2007, he lent his voice to the adventure fantasy film The Golden Compass (2007) and its video game of the same name. He then portrayed the title character in the drama film August Rush (2007). The story follows a musical prodigy as he searches for his birth parents. This film received a wide release on 21 November 2007.

Highmore next starred in the dual role of American twins Simon Grace and Jared Grace in the fantasy adventure film The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008), based on the popular children's stories of the same name by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. The film also had a video game, The Spiderwick Chronicles, in which Highmore reprised the characters of Simon and Jared in a voice role.[16] That same year, he provided voice acting for the role of Little Jack in the animated film A Fox's Tale (2008). In 2009, Highmore voiced the lead character in the animated film Astro Boy[17] and provided his voice to its accompanying video game, Astro Boy: The Video Game.[18] He then played the main role in Toast, a BBC biographical film about chef Nigel Slater, which was aired on 30 December 2010.[19] Also in 2010, he starred as Hally Ballard in the drama film Master Harold...and the Boys, based on the play of the same name by Athol Fugard. The following year, he co-starred in the romantic comedy-drama The Art of Getting By (2011).[20]

Bates Motel and The Good Doctor (2012–2017)

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Highmore at PaleyFest for Bates Motel in 2013

In 2013, Highmore voiced the title character in the animated adventure film Justin and the Knights of Valour. From 2013 to 2017, he portrayed the iconic role of Norman Bates in the A&E drama-thriller series Bates Motel, a prequel to the Alfred Hitchcock film Psycho that restarts the storyline in the present day.[21] He won a People's Choice Award in 2017 for his performance,[22] and has received nominations for the Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television (2013),[23] the Satellite Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama (2013),[24] and the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series (2014–2015, and 2017).[25][26][27] Highmore ventured into writing and directing during his time working on the series, writing the fourth season episode "Unfaithful"[28] and the fifth season episode "Inseparable", and directing the fifth-season episode "The Body".[29]

In August 2014, it was reported that NBC had purchased a comedy pilot script written and executive produced by Highmore and Bates Motel showrunner Kerry Ehrin.[30] In 2015, he appeared in the Libertines' music video for "You're My Waterloo".[31] In 2016, Highmore starred in Stephen Poliakoff's BBC Two seven-part miniseries Close to the Enemy[32] and Nick Hamm's political comedy-drama film The Journey.[33]

In 2017, Highmore took on the lead role of Dr. Shaun Murphy, an autistic savant, in the ABC drama series The Good Doctor, and was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series for his performance.[34] He serves as an executive producer and director on the show, and wrote the second season episode "Hello".[35][36]

Highmore has been cast as the voice of the Duke of Cheshire in the animated film adaptation of The Canterville Ghost.[37] He is to play the title character, Baby Face Nelson, in the A&E drama pilot Baby Face, which he co-wrote and will executive produce with Kerry Ehrin.[38] Highmore will also serve as an executive producer on Ehrin's drama pilot Long Distance for NBC.[39]

Screenwriting and producing (2018–present)

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In August 2018, Highmore formed his Sony-aligned production company, Alfresco Pictures, which aims to develop scripted series for broadcast, cable, streaming services, and international co-productions projects "that have a broader point or message behind them, that try and spark conversations that aren't being had or give a microphone to voices and experiences that haven't been heard from before.". "I hope 'Alfresco', aside from being a play on my real name, Alfred, speaks more widely to a sense of refreshing, communal openness that is reflective of the stories we gravitate towards at the company," he said. "In wanting to set up 'Alfresco', it came from a natural desire to be involved in a wider way in the industry ... I always had that natural curiosity to do other things. And that, I guess, shifted into not only wanting to develop my own ideas and projects that I was writing or directing or acting in, but also becoming a producer in a wider sense and helping other people tell their stories."[40]

In August 2019, it was reported that Highmore will co-write and serve as an executive producer for Homesick, a dark comedy in development at the WarnerMedia-owned cable net, which will explore mental health, body image, toxic masculinity and what it means to defy "normal" gender expectations.[41]

Personal life

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Highmore lives in London and avoids social media.[42] While on Bates Motel, Highmore developed a close friendship with co-star Vera Farmiga and became godfather to her son.[43]

Apart from his native English, Highmore is fluent in French and Spanish, and semi-fluent in Arabic.[44][45]

In a September 2021 interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Highmore revealed that he had recently married.[46] His wife is web designer Klarissa Munz, who was a fellow student at Cambridge University.[2][3]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1999 Women Talking Dirty Sam
2004 Two Brothers Raoul Normandin
Finding Neverland Peter Llewelyn Davies
Five Children and It Robert Main role
2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Charlie Bucket
2006 A Good Year Young Max Skinner
Arthur and the Invisibles Arthur Montgomery Main role; voice role
2007 August Rush Evan Taylor / August Rush Main role
The Golden Compass Pantalaimon Voice role
2008 The Spiderwick Chronicles Jared and Simon Grace Main role (dual role)
A Fox's Tale Little Jack Voice role
2009 Astro Boy Toby Tenma / Astro Boy Main role; voice role
Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard Arthur Montgomery
2010 Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds
Master Harold...and the Boys Hally Ballard Main role
2011 The Art of Getting By George Zinavoy
2013 Justin and the Knights of Valour Justin Voice role
2016 The Journey Jack the Driver
Almost Friends Charlie Brenner Main role
2020 Dragon Rider Ben Voice role
2021 The Vault Thom Johnson Main role; producer
2023 The Canterville Ghost The Duke of Cheshire Voice role

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2000 Happy Birthday Shakespeare Steven Green Television film
2001 The Mists of Avalon Young Arthur 2 episodes
Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story Son at playground 2 episodes
2002 I Saw You Oscar Bingley Television film
2010 Toast Nigel Slater
2013–2017 Bates Motel Norman Bates
  • Main role
  • Writer: "Unfaithful", "Inseparable"
  • Director: "The Body"
2016 Close to the Enemy Victor Ferguson Main role
2017 Portrait Artist of the Year Himself Television competition
Tour de Pharmacy Adrian Baton Television film
2017–2024 The Good Doctor Shaun Murphy
  • Main role
  • Executive producer
  • Writer: "Hello"
  • Director: "Risk and Reward", "Autopsy", "Decrypt", "Half Measures"
2018 Taskmaster Himself Contestant
2021 Leonardo Stefano Giraldi Executive producer

Video games

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Year Title Role
2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Charlie Bucket
2007 Arthur and the Invisibles Arthur Montgomery
The Golden Compass Pantalaimon
2008 The Spiderwick Chronicles Jared and Simon Grace
2009 Astro Boy: The Video Game Toby Tenma / Astro Boy

Music videos

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Year Title Artist
2004 "Girls" The Prodigy
2015 "You're My Waterloo" The Libertines

Awards and nominations

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Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Freddie Highmore

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Freddie Highmore – Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on 7 April 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  2. ^ a b Morris, Nicky (28 November 2022). "Who is The Good Doctor star Freddie Highmore's wife?". Hello!. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b Wallace, Debra (12 September 2022). "We Finally Know Who 'The Good Doctor' Star Freddie Highmore Married! Find Out What His New Bride Does for a Living and More". Parade. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  4. ^ Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1984–2004, listed birth name as "Alfred Thomas Highmore".
  5. ^ Ausiello, Michael (11 May 2017). "Good Doctor Medical Drama Starring Bates Motel's Freddie Highmore Ordered to Series at ABC". TVLine. Archived from the original on 12 May 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
  6. ^ Salisbury, Mark. "Freddie Highmore keeps it real in music-filled 'August Rush'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 6 November 2007. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  7. ^ "Top exam passes for 'Charlie' star". Express.co.uk. 21 August 2008. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Top A-level grades for Highmore". independent. 19 August 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Actor Highmore gains double first". The Belfast Telegraph. 3 July 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  10. ^ "Freddie Highmore To Attend Summer School". www.femalefirst.co.uk. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  11. ^ Shia, Jonathan (10 January 2018). "Freddie Highmore From Norman Bates to Dr. Shaun Murphy in Three Days". THE LAST MAGAZINE. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  12. ^ "The Freddie Highmore Chronicles" (PDF). The Washington Post. 17 February 2008. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  13. ^ "Freddie Highmore cast as titular Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". JohnAugust.com. 23 May 2004. Archived from the original on 24 September 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  14. ^ "Movies: Details for Arthur and the Vengeance of Maltazard". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2013. Archived from the original on 8 September 2013.
  15. ^ "Movies: Details for Arthur and The War Of Two Worlds". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2013. Archived from the original on 8 September 2013.
  16. ^ "Highmore Joins Spiderwick Chronicles". Empire. 24 July 2006.
  17. ^ "Freddie Highmore Signed for Imagi Studios' Astro Boy" (PDF). Imagi Studios. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 May 2008. Retrieved 28 February 2008.
  18. ^ "Freddie Highmore and Kristen Bell Join Astro Boy: The Video Game". GamersHell.com. 5 July 2009. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  19. ^ "New BBC One drama, Helena Bonham Carter and Freddie Highmore star in Toast". BBC News. 21 May 2010.
  20. ^ Cox, Gordon (21 April 2010). "Roberts, Highmore assigned 'Homework'". Variety. Archived from the original on 27 April 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
  21. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (14 September 2012). "A&E's 'Psycho' Prequel 'Bates Motel' Finds its Young Norman". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 6 October 2015.
  22. ^ "People's Choice Awards 2017 Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. 18 January 2017. Archived from the original on 19 January 2017.
  23. ^ McCabe, Joseph (28 June 2014). "Gravity, The Walking Dead, and Breaking Bad Win Big at the Fortieth Annual Saturn Awards". Nerdist. Archived from the original on 5 January 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  24. ^ Pond, Steve (2 December 2013). "'12 Years a Slave' Tops Satellite Award Nominations". TheWrap. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  25. ^ Sandberg, Bryn Elise (19 June 2014). "Critics' Choice Television Awards 2014: Complete Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 26 January 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  26. ^ Pedersen, Erik (6 May 2015). "Critics' Choice TV Awards: 'Justified', 'Olive Kitteridge', HBO Lead The Field". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 7 May 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  27. ^ Kilday, Gregg (6 December 2017). "Critics' Choice Awards: 'The Shape of Water' Leads With 14 Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  28. ^ Saclao, Christian (4 April 2016). "'Bates Motel' Star Freddie Highmore on Writing Season 4, Episode 8 of A&E's 'Psycho' Prequel". Design & Trend. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  29. ^ Butler, Elena (23 July 2016). "'Bates Motel': 8 Things to Know About Season 5, Rihanna's Casting, and More". Collider. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016.
  30. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (22 August 2014). "'Bates Motel's' Freddie Highmore, Kerry Ehrin Sell Comedy to NBC". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015.
  31. ^ Monroe, Jazz (2 December 2015). "The Libertines Share Romantic "You're My Waterloo" Video Starring Freddie Highmore". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on 4 December 2015.
  32. ^ "BBC Two announces new Stephen Poliakoff drama with stellar cast". BBC News. 30 March 2015. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015.
  33. ^ McNary, Dave (10 September 2015). "Toronto: John Hurt, Toby Stephens, Freddie Highmore Join 'The Journey'". Variety. Archived from the original on 7 October 2015.
  34. ^ "Golden Globes: 'Shape of Water,' 'Big Little Lies' Top Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. 11 December 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  35. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (24 February 2017). "'Bates Motel' Star Freddie Highmore to Topline ABC's David Shore Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017.
  36. ^ "Freddie Highmore goes from 'Bates' killer to life-saving 'Good Doctor'". USA Today. 6 August 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  37. ^ Kemp, Stuart (9 May 2014). "Cannes: Freddie Highmore Lends Voice to Animated 'Oscar Wilde's The Canterville Ghost'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015.
  38. ^ Birnbaum, Debra (16 December 2016). "'Bates Motel's' Freddie Highmore and Kerry Ehrin Sell Drama Pilot to A&E (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 17 December 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  39. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (15 March 2017). "NBC Buys 'Long Distance' Drama From 'Bates Motel' Duo Kerry Ehrin & Freddie Highmore And Producer Danielle Gelber". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  40. ^ Utichi, Joe (12 November 2019). "Freddie Highmore Will Star In, Produce Leonardo, As His Alfresco Pictures Shingle Adds To Its Slate". Deadline. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  41. ^ Porter, Rick (28 August 2019). "Freddie Highmore Developing Dysfunctional Mother-Son Comedy at TBS". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  42. ^ Ruby, Jennifer (3 May 2017). "Freddie Highmore: 'staying in London and avoiding social media has kept me grounded'". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 3 May 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  43. ^ Neff, Lauri (26 February 2014). "Vera Farmiga says 'Bates Motel' drama is only on screen". CTV News. Associated Press. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  44. ^ Freddie Highmore Speaking 5 Languages, retrieved 31 January 2022
  45. ^ W, Ncuthu (5 November 2020). "The Good Doctor Star Opens Up About His Relationship With Johnny Depp: 25 Facts About Freddie Highmore". AmoMamma. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  46. ^ Atad, Corey (28 September 2021). "Freddie Highmore Reveals He Is Married On Jimmy Kimmel Live!". Entertainment Tonight Canada. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
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Media related to Freddie Highmore at Wikimedia Commons

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